Politics?”
“More or less. Not only are we unconventional in too many ways to count, but the Bureau can’t use us and our success to improve their own image; what we do too often looks like magic or some kind of witchcraft rather than science, and that is
not
something the FBI wants to publicize no matter how high our success rate is. We’re becoming quietly well known within other law-enforcement organizations because of our successes, but there are still plenty of people inside the Bureau who’d love it if we failed.”
“So you haven’t yet?”
“Debatable point, I suppose.” Isabel pursed her lips. “A few got away. But the successes have far exceeded the failures. If you call them failures.”
“You don’t?”
“We don’t give up easily. Bishop doesn’t give up easily. So . . . just because a case goes cold doesn’t mean we forget about it or stop working on it. Which brings me back to this case.” She explained their belief that they were dealing with a killer who had terrorized two previous towns and had a dozen murders under his belt even before he came to Hastings.
“I think we’re gonna need a bigger task force,” Mallory said dryly.
Even though he smiled faintly, Rafe’s response was matter-of-fact. “Technically, we have one. Every officer and detective we have will be working on some aspect of the investigation. Overtime, more people to handle the phones, whatever it takes. But only you and I know about Hollis’s and Isabel’s psychic abilities. That’s the way it stays. The last thing I want is for the press to turn this thing into a carnival sideshow.”
“And they will, given the chance,” Isabel said. “We’ve seen it happen before.”
Great,
Mallory thought,
one more thing I have to hide from Alan.
Out loud, she said, “I don’t know much about ESP, unless you count commercials from those psychic hotlines, but I gather neither of you can just I.D. our perp for us like snapping your fingers?”
“Our abilities are just another tool,” Isabel told her. “We use standard investigative techniques like every other cop, at least as much as possible.”
Mallory was more resigned than scornful. “Yeah, I figured that would be the deal.”
“It can’t be too easy,” Hollis said. “The universe has to make us work for everything.”
“So how will your abilities help us, assuming they do?” Mallory asked. “I mean, what specifically is it that you’re able to do?”
“I’m clairvoyant,” Isabel said, explaining the SCU’s definition of the term.
“So you have to touch something or someone to pick up information about them?”
“Touching helps, usually, because it establishes the strongest connection. But I also get information randomly sometimes. That tends to be trivia.”
“For instance?” Mallory was clearly curious.
Without hesitation, Isabel said, “You had a cinnamon bun for breakfast at home this morning and you feel guilty about it.”
Mallory blinked, then looked at Rafe.
“Spooky, isn’t it?” he said.
Mallory cleared her throat and, without commenting on Isabel’s statement, looked at Hollis. “And you?”
“I talk to dead people,” she replied with a wry smile. “Technically, I’m a medium.”
“No shit? That must be . . . disconcerting.”
“I’m told you get used to it,” Hollis murmured.
“You’re told?”
“I’m new at this.”
Rafe frowned. “You weren’t born with it?”
“Not exactly.” Hollis looked at Isabel, who explained.
“Some people possess latent—inactive—paranormal abilities. For most of those people, the abilities remain unknown and unused their entire lives. They may get hunches, flashes of knowledge they can’t logically explain, but they generally ignore it or dismiss it as coincidence.”
“Until something changes,” Rafe guessed.
“Exactly. Every once in a while, something happens that causes latent psychics either consciously or subconsciously to tap into the previously
“More or less. Not only are we unconventional in too many ways to count, but the Bureau can’t use us and our success to improve their own image; what we do too often looks like magic or some kind of witchcraft rather than science, and that is
not
something the FBI wants to publicize no matter how high our success rate is. We’re becoming quietly well known within other law-enforcement organizations because of our successes, but there are still plenty of people inside the Bureau who’d love it if we failed.”
“So you haven’t yet?”
“Debatable point, I suppose.” Isabel pursed her lips. “A few got away. But the successes have far exceeded the failures. If you call them failures.”
“You don’t?”
“We don’t give up easily. Bishop doesn’t give up easily. So . . . just because a case goes cold doesn’t mean we forget about it or stop working on it. Which brings me back to this case.” She explained their belief that they were dealing with a killer who had terrorized two previous towns and had a dozen murders under his belt even before he came to Hastings.
“I think we’re gonna need a bigger task force,” Mallory said dryly.
Even though he smiled faintly, Rafe’s response was matter-of-fact. “Technically, we have one. Every officer and detective we have will be working on some aspect of the investigation. Overtime, more people to handle the phones, whatever it takes. But only you and I know about Hollis’s and Isabel’s psychic abilities. That’s the way it stays. The last thing I want is for the press to turn this thing into a carnival sideshow.”
“And they will, given the chance,” Isabel said. “We’ve seen it happen before.”
Great,
Mallory thought,
one more thing I have to hide from Alan.
Out loud, she said, “I don’t know much about ESP, unless you count commercials from those psychic hotlines, but I gather neither of you can just I.D. our perp for us like snapping your fingers?”
“Our abilities are just another tool,” Isabel told her. “We use standard investigative techniques like every other cop, at least as much as possible.”
Mallory was more resigned than scornful. “Yeah, I figured that would be the deal.”
“It can’t be too easy,” Hollis said. “The universe has to make us work for everything.”
“So how will your abilities help us, assuming they do?” Mallory asked. “I mean, what specifically is it that you’re able to do?”
“I’m clairvoyant,” Isabel said, explaining the SCU’s definition of the term.
“So you have to touch something or someone to pick up information about them?”
“Touching helps, usually, because it establishes the strongest connection. But I also get information randomly sometimes. That tends to be trivia.”
“For instance?” Mallory was clearly curious.
Without hesitation, Isabel said, “You had a cinnamon bun for breakfast at home this morning and you feel guilty about it.”
Mallory blinked, then looked at Rafe.
“Spooky, isn’t it?” he said.
Mallory cleared her throat and, without commenting on Isabel’s statement, looked at Hollis. “And you?”
“I talk to dead people,” she replied with a wry smile. “Technically, I’m a medium.”
“No shit? That must be . . . disconcerting.”
“I’m told you get used to it,” Hollis murmured.
“You’re told?”
“I’m new at this.”
Rafe frowned. “You weren’t born with it?”
“Not exactly.” Hollis looked at Isabel, who explained.
“Some people possess latent—inactive—paranormal abilities. For most of those people, the abilities remain unknown and unused their entire lives. They may get hunches, flashes of knowledge they can’t logically explain, but they generally ignore it or dismiss it as coincidence.”
“Until something changes,” Rafe guessed.
“Exactly. Every once in a while, something happens that causes latent psychics either consciously or subconsciously to tap into the previously
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